Walk-Ins Welcome: A Healthcare Marketing Podcast

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250

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Aug 2026

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Welcome to 'Walk-Ins Welcome: A Healthcare Marketing Podcast,' presented weekly by Nick Hoard and Michael Ray of Patient Care Marketing Pros. Tune in each week to hear from Nick and Michael as they share valuable advice, engaging interviews, and success stories to inspire and inform you about the nuances of healthcare marketing to help you increase your clinic's patient volume.

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September 9, 2026Episode 24724 min

Ep. 247: Is Your Urgent Care Invisible to AI? | Part 1

AI is changing how patients search for healthcare, and urgent care clinics need to understand what that means for visibility. In Part 1 of this two-part Walk-Ins Welcome conversation, Nick and Michael break down the shift from traditional SEO to AI visibility and why showing up correctly in platforms like Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Grok, and others is becoming more important. They explain why AI can sometimes misunderstand your clinic, pull outdated information, or recommend competitors instead, especially when your website and online presence do not give it enough accurate information to work with. Before jumping into tactics, this episode focuses on the foundation: understanding what AI currently knows about your clinic, where that information is coming from, and what competitors are already doing better. 🔥 In This Episode, You’ll Learn: 🤖 What “AI visibility” means for urgent care clinics 🔍 How patient search behavior is shifting from keywords to more conversational questions 📍 Why traditional SEO and Google Business Profile optimization still matter ⚠️ How AI can confidently present inaccurate or outdated information about your clinic 🏥 Why urgent care is especially exposed when AI lacks accurate healthcare information 📊 How to audit what AI currently knows about your clinic 🔗 Why identifying the sources AI cites can reveal gaps in your digital presence 👀 How to see which competitors AI is recommending alongside your clinic 🎯 Why establishing a baseline should come before making changes Coming in Part 2: Nick and Michael break down the seven specific AI visibility assets clinics can build to improve how they are represented and recommended across AI platforms. 🛠️ Resources: Learn more about Patient Care Marketing Pros: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/ Explore PCMP’s Urgent Care SEO services: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/urgent-care-seo/ Looking to grow patient volume, strengthen visibility, and build a scalable marketing system? https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/schedule-a-call/ 💬 Stay Connected: Website: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patientcaremarketingpros LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/patient-care-marketing-pros/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9nwkAwIyiVvsLTWGoeRbWA Want To Collaborate With Walk-Ins Welcome? Are you looking to dive into collaboration opportunities with Walk-Ins Welcome? Whether you're interested in being a guest, exploring sponsorship possibilities, inviting us onto your platform, or have a unique idea in mind, we're all ears! https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/podcast-inquiry/ 🎵 Intro and Outro Music by Devin Smith: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4UdQjNXnACFE2VpkEoP8v2?si=pDx5jsgtRFOtwrpMOKOkuQ

September 2, 2026Episode 24629 min

Ep. 246: Meet the Pros: Search & Surprising Playlists With Susan Henderson

What makes a great urgent care clinic stand out? Sometimes, it comes down to the basics: answering the phone, creating a great patient experience, managing your online reputation, and making it easy for patients to find you. In this episode of Walk-Ins Welcome , Michael sits down with Susan, one of the Client Success Managers at Patient Care Marketing Pros, for another edition of Meet the Pros . Susan shares her journey from outside sales and e-commerce to PCMP, along with what she has learned after a year working closely with urgent care owners and operators across the country. They dive into the surprisingly big impact of the front desk, what PCMP's most successful urgent care clients have in common, and why Google Business Profiles, reviews, updated photos, and strong communication can make such a difference. Plus, you'll learn a little more about Susan, including her time as a preschool music teacher and her unexpectedly wide-ranging taste in music. 🔥 In This Episode, You’ll Learn: 📞 Why your front desk plays such a critical role in converting callers into patients 😊 What separates a great front desk interaction from one that costs your clinic a visit ⭐ How to respond to negative Google reviews professionally without letting emotions take over 🤝 What PCMP's most successful urgent care clients have in common 📸 Why updated photos and accurate information matter more than you might think 📍 Why your Google Business Profile is one of your clinic's most valuable digital assets 🔍 What surprised Susan most about SEO and the technical work happening behind the scenes 🤖 Why AI can be useful for marketing, but still needs human oversight 🧠 About Our Guest Susan is a Client Success Manager at Patient Care Marketing Pros, where she works closely with urgent care owners and operators to strengthen their marketing, improve patient acquisition, and reach their growth goals. With a background spanning outside sales, e-commerce, and digital marketing, Susan brings a relationship-focused approach to helping clinics get more from their marketing strategy. After more than a year in the urgent care space, she has developed a firsthand understanding of how front desk performance, patient experience, reviews, and local search visibility all work together to drive clinic growth. 🛠️ Resources Google Reviews Are More Powerful Than Your Website | Walk-Ins Welcome Ep. 227 A deeper dive into why reviews matter for urgent care clinics and how they influence patient decisions. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-227-google-reviews-are-more-powerful-than-your/id1593229248?i=1000766726870 What Google My Business Strategies Benefit Urgent Care Centers? PCMP tips for improving your Google Business Profile, including accurate information, photos, reviews, and local visibility. Urgent Care SEO https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/articles/what-google-my-business-strategies-benefit-urgent-care-centers/ Learn how PCMP approaches local search visibility and SEO strategies designed to help clinics attract more patients. https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/urgent-care-seo/ 💬 Stay Connected: Website: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patientcaremarketingpros LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/patient-care-marketing-pros/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9nwkAwIyiVvsLTWGoeRbWA Want To Collaborate With Walk-Ins Welcome? Are you looking to dive into collaboration opportunities with Walk-Ins Welcome? Whether you're interested in being a guest, exploring sponsorship possibilities, inviting us onto your platform, or have a unique idea in mind, we're all ears! https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/podcast-inquiry/ 🎵 Intro and Outro Music by Devin Smith: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4UdQjNXnACFE2VpkEoP8v2?si=pDx5jsgtRFOtwrpMOKOkuQ

August 26, 2026Episode 24527 min

Ep. 245: Back-to-School Blueprint: Capturing The Autumn Patient Surge

This week’s episode features a segment from our recent Back-to-School Blueprint webinar, where we break down how urgent care clinics can turn the seasonal patient surge into repeat visits, stronger retention, and momentum that lasts beyond back-to-school season. When patient volume starts climbing, it’s easy to focus on getting as many patients through the door as possible. But every new patient represents a bigger opportunity. A great experience can lead to repeat visits, referrals, positive reviews, and even relationships with an entire family. In this webinar replay segment, Michael walks through the patient journey from search to visit and beyond. He covers how clinics can strengthen their local search presence, align campaigns with seasonal demand, improve front desk conversion, get involved in their communities, and stay connected with patients after their visit. If your clinic is seeing an increase in patient volume right now, this episode will help you make the most of that demand while preparing for what comes next. 🔥 In This Episode, You'll Learn: 🔍 How patients search for and choose an urgent care clinic ⭐ Why reviews, availability, services, and online booking influence patient decisions 📈 Why proactive seasonal marketing beats reacting when demand changes 👨‍👩‍👧 How one patient visit can become an opportunity to earn an entire family's trust 💻 Why dedicated service pages matter for local search visibility 📞 How your front desk impacts patient conversion 🎯 How to align marketing campaigns with high-intent searches and seasonal demand 🤝 Why community involvement can strengthen your clinic's local presence 🔄 How follow-up communication can turn first-time patients into repeat patients 💰 Why retaining existing patients can be more valuable than constantly finding new ones Looking to grow patient volume, strengthen retention, and build a scalable marketing system? Explore PCMP's 90-Day Patient Acquisition Framework: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/ 💬 Stay Connected: Website: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patientcaremarketingpros LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/patient-care-marketing-pros/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9nwkAwIyiVvsLTWGoeRbWA Want To Collaborate With Walk-Ins Welcome? Are you looking to dive into collaboration opportunities with Walk-Ins Welcome? Whether you're interested in being a guest, exploring sponsorship possibilities, inviting us onto your platform, or have a unique idea in mind, we're all ears! https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/podcast-inquiry/ 🎵 Intro and Outro Music by Devin Smith: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4UdQjNXnACFE2VpkEoP8v2?si=pDx5jsgtRFOtwrpMOKOkuQ

August 19, 2026Episode 24428 min

Ep. 244: Back to School, Back to Busy: Is Your Urgent Care Ready?

Back to school means more than new schedules and packed classrooms. For urgent care clinics, it also signals the beginning of a busier season. In this episode of Walk-Ins Welcome, Nick and Michael talk about what urgent care owners should be watching as summer comes to an end and patient volume begins picking back up. From testing the systems you worked on during the summer slowdown to keeping your Google Ads running, monitoring front desk performance, and preparing your marketing months in advance, now is the time to put that preparation to work. They also discuss why clinics cannot afford to get comfortable when volume returns. Fall festivals, community events, the holidays, and another seasonal shift are already around the corner. The clinics that stay ahead are the ones thinking several moves ahead. 🔥 In This Episode, You’ll Learn: 🏫 Why back to school marks an important seasonal shift for urgent care ⚙️ How increased patient volume exposes weaknesses in your systems 📞 Why busy seasons can cause front desk teams to fall back into bad habits 📊 What to watch with missed calls, scheduling, and patient conversion 💰 Why turning off Google Ads during slower months can hurt future performance 🔍 How preparing SEO content early can position your clinic for seasonal searches 📅 Why clinics should plan community events and seasonal marketing months ahead 🏈 How local events, fall festivals, and community involvement can keep your clinic visible ♟️ Why urgent care growth requires thinking several moves ahead 🛠️ Resources: Learn more about Patient Care Marketing Pros: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/ Interested in upcoming webinars, virtual masterminds, or the in-person Clinic Growth Mastermind? Stay connected with PCMP for upcoming dates and opportunities. Email: hello@patientcaremarketingpros.com 💬 Stay Connected: Website: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patientcaremarketingpros LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/patient-care-marketing-pros/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9nwkAwIyiVvsLTWGoeRbWA Want To Collaborate With Walk-Ins Welcome? Are you looking to dive into collaboration opportunities with Walk-Ins Welcome? Whether you're interested in being a guest, exploring sponsorship possibilities, inviting us onto your platform, or have a unique idea in mind, we're all ears! https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/podcast-inquiry/ 🎵 Intro and Outro Music by Devin Smith: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4UdQjNXnACFE2VpkEoP8v2?si=pDx5jsgtRFOtwrpMOKOkuQ

August 12, 2026Episode 24333 min

Ep.243: Community Over Competition: Why Urgent Care Owners Need Each Other

Front desk staffing may look different from clinic to clinic, but one challenge keeps coming up across urgent care: too many owners are trying to solve the same problems alone. In this episode of Walk-Ins Welcome, Nick and Michael talk about why community can be more valuable than competition, especially when clinic owners are facing the same operational, staffing, growth, and expansion challenges. They share what they have learned from agency masterminds and how that same model is now helping urgent care owners trade ideas, solve problems faster, and learn from peers who have already been through similar situations. The conversation also introduces the Clinic Growth Mastermind, including what happens inside the sessions, why breakthrough moments happen so quickly, and how sharing ideas with other owners can help you avoid expensive mistakes. We will also be hosting another in-person mastermind in 2027, giving urgent care leaders a chance to connect face-to-face, work through real challenges, and learn directly from other operators in the room. 🔥 In This Episode, You’ll Learn: 🤝 Why community can create better outcomes than treating every clinic like a competitor 🧠 How masterminds help owners solve problems faster 📈 Why clinics at very different stages often face the same core challenges 🏥 What larger multi-location operators can teach newer clinic owners 💡 How peer conversations can uncover solutions you may never have considered 🎯 Why identifying your single biggest problem creates more productive conversations 🚀 How the Clinic Growth Mastermind is designed to create real breakthrough moments 👥 Why urgent care leaders need trusted peers they can call on outside of conferences 📍 What to expect from upcoming virtual and in-person mastermind opportunities 🛠️ Resources: Interested in joining an upcoming Clinic Growth Mastermind? Email: hello@patientcaremarketingpros.com Looking to grow patient volume, strengthen retention, and build a scalable marketing system? Explore PCMP’s 90-day patient acquisition framework: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/ 💬 Stay Connected: Website: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patientcaremarketingpros LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/patient-care-marketing-pros/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9nwkAwIyiVvsLTWGoeRbWA Want To Collaborate With Walk-Ins Welcome? Are you looking to dive into collaboration opportunities with Walk-Ins Welcome? Whether you're interested in being a guest, exploring sponsorship possibilities, inviting us onto your platform, or have a unique idea in mind, we're all ears! https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/podcast-inquiry/ 🎵 Intro and Outro Music by Devin Smith: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4UdQjNXnACFE2VpkEoP8v2?si=pDx5jsgtRFOtwrpMOKOkuQ

August 5, 2026Episode 24237 min

Ep. 242: Meet the Pros: Reviews & Ramen with Issacah Houston

What actually helps an urgent care clinic rank higher on Google? And what are clinics getting wrong when it comes to their Google Business Profile? In this episode of Meet the Pros , Michael sits down with PCMP SEO Specialist, Issacah Houston (Izzi), to discuss the most common Google Business Profile mistakes she sees, why reviews matter more than most clinic owners realize, and how small changes can improve both patient trust and local visibility. Along the way, they also talk about life in Alabama after moving from Ohio, Izzi’s love of soup, and the importance of finding the perfect spoon. 🔥 In This Episode, You'll Learn 🗺️ Common Google Business Profile mistakes urgent care clinics make ⭐ Why responding to every review helps build patient trust 🏥 How incorrect Google categories can hurt your visibility 💬 Best practices for responding to negative reviews without violating HIPAA 🤖 When AI can help with review responses, and when it shouldn't 📈 Why your Google Business Profile is often more important than your website 🥣 Izzi’s surprisingly strong opinions on soup and spoons 🧠 About Our Guest Izzi is an SEO Specialist at Patient Care Marketing Pros, where she helps urgent care clinics improve their local search visibility through Google Business Profile optimization, local SEO, listings management, and reputation management. Since joining PCMP as an intern, she's helped clinics across the country strengthen their online presence and connect with more patients through organic search. 🛠️ Resources 🌐 Learn more about Patient Care Marketing Pros: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/ 📅 Schedule a free strategy session: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/schedule-a-call/ 🎙️ Referenced Episodes & Internal Listening Opportunities Want to learn more about local SEO, Google reviews, and growing your urgent care clinic? Check out these related episodes: Ep. 237: Meet the Pros, Guam, Graphic Design & Great Customer Service https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-237-meet-the-pros-guam-graphic-design-great/id1593229248?i=1000774999193 Ep. 227: Google Reviews Are More Powerful Than Your Website https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-227-google-reviews-are-more-powerful-than-your/id1593229248?i=1000766726870 Ep. 193: Using Geofencing and Google Ads to Grow Your Urgent Care https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-193-using-geofencing-and-google-ads-to-grow/id1593229248?i=1000743145655 Ep. 5: Online Reviews for Urgent Cares https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-5-online-reviews-for-urgent-cares/id1593229248?i=1000541268768 Ep. 150: Urgent Care Growth Hacks: $3M Clinic Roadmap https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-150-urgent-care-growth-hacks-3m-clinic-roadmap/id1593229248?i=1000693485782 💬 Stay Connected 🌐 Website: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patientcaremarketingpros 💼 LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/patientcaremarketingpros 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patientcaremarketingpros 🎵 TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@patientcaremarketing ▶️ YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@patientcaremarketingpros9205 Want To Collaborate With Walk-Ins Welcome? Are you looking to dive into collaboration opportunities with Walk-Ins Welcome? Whether you're interested in being a guest, exploring sponsorship possibilities, inviting us onto your platform, or have a unique idea in mind, we're all ears! https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/podcast-inquiry/ Walk-Ins Welcome is produced by Patient Care Marketing Pros and is dedicated to helping urgent care owners and operators grow thriving clinics through better marketing, operations, and patient experience. 🎵 Intro and Outro Music by Devin Smith: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4UdQjNXnACFE2VpkEoP8v2?si=pDx5jsgtRFOtwrpMOKOkuQ

July 29, 2026Episode 23949 min

Ep. 241: Episode Rewind, The 90-Day Clinic Rescue (Experity Talk): How to Increase Patient Volume and Turn Around Your Urgent Care

Patient volume doesn't change overnight, but with the right strategy, your clinic can build momentum faster than you think. In this special Walk-Ins Welcome Episode, we're bringing back one of our most popular conference presentations from the Experity Urgent Care Connect Conference. Nick and Michael break down the exact 90-day framework they use to help urgent care clinics increase patient volume, improve local visibility, strengthen front desk performance, and build a sustainable marketing engine. Whether you're launching a new location, trying to turn around an underperforming clinic, or preparing for your next growth phase, this episode is packed with practical strategies you can start implementing today. 🔥 In This Episode, You’ll Learn 📈 Why the first 90 days are critical for turning around an underperforming clinic 💻 How Google Ads and your Google Business Profile work together to increase visibility 📞 Why your front desk may be one of your biggest patient growth opportunities ⭐ How reviews, local SEO, and community partnerships support patient acquisition 💰 When to prioritize direct-response marketing over branding ⚠️ Common Google Ads budget mistakes that can slow down performance 🤖 How urgent care clinics can begin preparing for AI-powered search 🛠️ Resources Mentioned Patient Care Marketing Pros: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/ Schedule a Free Strategy Session: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/schedule-a-call/ 🎙️ Referenced Episodes & Internal Listening Opportunities If you enjoyed this episode, keep listening with: Ep. 150: Urgent Care Growth Hacks: $3M Clinic Roadmaphttps://open.spotify.com/episode/43u3dj7yTC6EcuasIjxuib?si=PIUuIoslQoyTm9mdPzM8sA Ep.152: Navigating the Pitfalls of Launching Your Urgent Carehttps://open.spotify.com/episode/3S2cXDmmGXXkedgw0RXq7L?si=IEG3vBKbRp2H9mJ2TcbZ1g Ep. 193: Using Geofencing and Google Ads to Grow Your Urgent Care https://open.spotify.com/episode/70tWHC5xqoLW0Kli8r540d?si=AXBKycdUR4er2c30O63GpA Ep. 50: The Four P’s of Medical Marketinghttps://open.spotify.com/episode/6qWFRmULX9kUl2veILB7hI?si=VdfRS9bURyqxtyKL1wpr5A 💬 Stay Connected 🌐 Website: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patientcaremarketingpros 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/patientcaremarketingpros 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patientcaremarketingpros 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@patientcaremarketing ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@patientcaremarketingpros9205 🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Want To Collaborate With Walk-Ins Welcome? Have an idea for a future episode or know someone making an impact in urgent care? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at hello@patientcaremarketingpros.com . Walk-Ins Welcome is produced by Patient Care Marketing Pros and is dedicated to helping urgent care owners and operators grow thriving clinics through better marketing, operations, and patient experience.

July 22, 2026Episode 24041 min

Ep. 240: Building Recurring Revenue with Medical Weight Loss - Interview with Dr. Jonathan Kaplan from DrWell

Many urgent care owners want to add medical weight loss and wellness services but quickly realize it is more complicated than prescribing medication. Compliance requirements, pharmacy relationships, payment processing, patient enrollment, and ongoing management can make getting started feel overwhelming. In this episode of Walk-Ins Welcome, Nick and Michael sit down with Dr. Jonathan Kaplan, founder and CEO of DrWell, to discuss how urgent care clinics can add weight and wellness services without building the entire infrastructure themselves. Dr. Kaplan explains how DrWell helps practices stay compliant, manage medication offerings, create a smoother digital patient experience, and compete with direct-to-consumer platforms. The conversation also explores how vertically integrating medications can help clinics retain patients and revenue instead of sending both to an outside pharmacy or online provider. If your clinic is looking for a practical way to add cash-pay services and create more predictable recurring revenue, this episode offers a clear place to start. 🔥 In This Episode, You’ll Learn: 💰 How medical weight loss can create recurring clinic revenue 🏥 Why urgent care clinics are positioned to offer ongoing wellness services ⚙️ How DrWell simplifies compliance, pharmacy access, and patient enrollment 📱 Why a convenient digital experience helps clinics compete with online platforms 💊 How vertically integrating medication offerings can help clinics retain revenue 🔄 How one-time urgent care patients can become long-term wellness patients 📈 Why subscription-based services can improve financial stability 🚀 How providers can launch without building every system from scratch 🧠 About Our Guest: Dr. Jonathan Kaplan is a plastic surgeon based in San Francisco and the founder and CEO of DrWell, a provider-to-consumer weight and wellness platform. DrWell helps providers and practices level the playing field with direct-to-consumer medication offerings while maintaining a connection between patients and real healthcare providers. 🛠️ Resources: Learn how DrWell can help urgent care centers stay compliant and vertically integrate medication offerings instead of sending patients, and potential revenue, to a pharmacy or direct-to-consumer platform. DrWell: https://drwell.com/ Follow DrWell: Instagram and Facebook: @drwellrx Follow Dr. Jonathan Kaplan: TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook: @realdrbae Looking to grow patient volume, strengthen retention, and build a scalable marketing system? Explore PCMP’s 90-day patient acquisition framework: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/ 💬 Stay Connected: Website: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patientcaremarketingpros LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/patient-care-marketing-pros/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9nwkAwIyiVvsLTWGoeRbWA Want To Collaborate With Walk-Ins Welcome? Are you looking to dive into collaboration opportunities with Walk-Ins Welcome? Whether you're interested in being a guest, exploring sponsorship possibilities, inviting us onto your platform, or have a unique idea in mind, we're all ears! https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/podcast-inquiry/ 🎵 Intro and Outro Music by Devin Smith: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4UdQjNXnACFE2VpkEoP8v2?si=pDx5jsgtRFOtwrpMOKOkuQ

July 15, 2026Episode 23937 min

Ep. 239: Coffee Talk: Marketing, Reviews & Running an Urgent Care Business

In this laid-back episode of Walk-Ins Welcome , Nick and Michael grab a cup of coffee and chat about what's been on their minds. From urgent care marketing during the summer slowdown to Google reviews, AI frustrations, annual reviews, inflation, and the realities of running a business, this episode offers an honest behind-the-scenes look at the conversations happening inside Patient Care Marketing Pros. Whether you're navigating slower patient volume, leading a growing team, or simply looking for a break from the usual healthcare marketing discussions, this episode is a fun reminder that every business owner faces similar challenges. 🔥 In This Episode, You'll Learn: ☀️ Why reducing ad spend during the summer often leads to fewer patients 📉 How supply and demand impacts urgent care marketing throughout the year ⭐ Why negative reviews feel so personal, and how to respond professionally 🤖 Michael's adventure with AI, automation, and losing an entire project 💬 How annual reviews and compensation conversations evolve as companies grow 💰 Why lifestyle inflation affects both business owners and employees 🏥 What urgent care owners and marketers can learn from everyday business conversations ☕ Why it's okay to step back and have an unscripted conversation every once in a while 🛠️ Resources Looking to grow patient volume, strengthen retention, and build a scalable marketing system? Explore PCMP's 90-day patient acquisition framework: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/ 💬 Stay Connected Website: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patientcaremarketingpros LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/patient-care-marketing-pros/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9nwkAwIyiVvsLTWGoeRbWA Want To Collaborate With Walk-Ins Welcome? Are you looking to dive into collaboration opportunities with Walk-Ins Welcome? Whether you're interested in being a guest, exploring sponsorship possibilities, inviting us onto your platform, or have a unique idea in mind, we're all ears! https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/podcast-inquiry/ 🎵 Intro and Outro Music by Devin Smith: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4UdQjNXnACFE2VpkEoP8v2?si=pDx5jsgtRFOtwrpMOKOkuQ

July 8, 2026Episode 23838 min

Ep. 238: Can a Virtual Front Desk Fix Your Urgent Care Staffing Problems? - Interview with Mark & Wendy Lucas from HiBridge

Front desk staffing has become one of the biggest operational challenges in urgent care. Rising labor costs, turnover, missed calls, and increasing patient expectations are forcing clinics to rethink how they operate. In this episode of Walk-Ins Welcome , Nick and Michael sit down with Mark and Wendy Lucas , co-founders of HiBridge , to discuss how a virtual front desk can help clinics improve patient service while reducing staffing challenges. Drawing from decades of healthcare and business experience, they explain how remote reception teams, centralized workflows, and AI are changing the future of the front desk without replacing the human touch. If your clinic is struggling to hire, retain, or manage front desk staff, this episode offers a practical look at a new model that's helping healthcare organizations improve efficiency and patient experience. 🔥 In This Episode, You'll Learn: 📞 Why front desk staffing is becoming harder for urgent care clinics 💻 How a virtual front desk works without sacrificing patient experience 👥 Why centralized reception teams improve consistency across locations 💰 How clinics can reduce overhead while improving service 💳 Why point-of-service collections matter 🤖 Where AI fits into the future of patient communication 🏥 How virtual front desks support urgent care and other healthcare specialties 🚀 What clinic owners should consider before adopting a hybrid staffing model 🧠 About Our Guests Mark and Wendy Lucas are the co-founders of HiBridge , a patented virtual front desk platform serving healthcare organizations across the U.S. and Canada. Wendy previously co-founded and operated a 10-location physical therapy practice, while Mark is a serial entrepreneur with experience in healthcare, technology, and business. Together, they created HiBridge to help practices improve patient experience while reducing front desk costs. 🛠️ Resources Learn more about HiBridge: Website: https://www.hibridge.live/ Looking to grow patient volume, strengthen retention, and build a scalable marketing system? Explore PCMP's 90-day patient acquisition framework: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/ 💬 Stay Connected Website: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patientcaremarketingpros LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/patient-care-marketing-pros/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9nwkAwIyiVvsLTWGoeRbWA Want To Collaborate With Walk-Ins Welcome? Are you looking to dive into collaboration opportunities with Walk-Ins Welcome? Whether you're interested in being a guest, exploring sponsorship possibilities, inviting us onto your platform, or have a unique idea in mind, we're all ears! https://patientcaremarketingpros.com/podcast-inquiry/ 🎵 Intro and Outro Music by Devin Smith: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4UdQjNXnACFE2VpkEoP8v2?si=pDx5jsgtRFOtwrpMOKOkuQ